Background correction in factor analysis of dynamic scintigraphic studies: necessity and implementation.
In factor analysis, structures are separated on the basis of their temporal behaviour, even if there is a partial overlap. Usually, the temporal behaviour of the system under study cannot be sampled in its true form due to a total overlap by the background. In the ROI (region of interest) method, background subtraction is used as a means to correct the problem. In factor analysis, this problem has been ignored for a long time. We prove that the factor analysis method gives incorrect results when there is a total overlap of a structure. By assuming a local homogeneity of the overlapping structure, we can greatly improve the solution found. Compared with the classical ROI method, our method is operator independent and organ specific.
Van Daele
M
M
Department of Nuclear Medicine, UZ Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
Joosten
J
J
Devos
P
P
Vandecruys
A
A
Willems
J L
JL
De Roo
M
M
D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*